San Antonio Fire Union Rejects Latest Negotiation Request
San Antonio officials made another attempt to negotiate a contract regarding health care and wages with the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association Tuesday, but the union declined to appear. The union’s contract ran out in 2014, and its stalemate with the city has lasted for more than 1,200 days.
Sitting at one side of a table Tuesday, city staff waited for fire union leaders. The union instead sent an email saying it would not attend. The city has made 10 negotiation attempts, but the union said it will not negotiate as long as a city-filed lawsuit remains in play.
“The city manager’s poor decision to choose frivolous litigation over mutual negotiation has not only cost the citizens of San Antonio more than a million dollars in outside attorney’s fees and been rejected by every court that has heard the matter to date, it has also prevented the parties from reaching a new contract,” said union attorney Ricky Pool in the letter.
City spokesman Jeff Coyle said the city was disappointed the union did not accept the invitation, but it has no plans to drop the lawsuit.
Read more: http://tpr.org/post/san-antonio-fire-union-rejects-latest-negotiation-request